Mercedes is fighting on two fronts with its all-electric EQ range of models and its legacy internal-combustion engined cars. Helping slim down the latter range is the new Mercedes CLE, the car will replace the two-door versions of both the C-Class and E-Class.
A convertible CLE will be announced in the coming months but Mercedes has decided to reveal the new model as a coupe first, providing a new rival to the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5 in the process. Judging from previous spy shots, we expect to see Mercedes’ AMG division to launch its performance-focused CLE later this year, too.
Mercedes says the market launch of the CLE coupe will start in November with the drop-top cabriolet following in 2024. Pricing has yet to be announced but we expect the CLE to start from around £50,000.
Mercedes CLE: exterior design
The CLE is designed to sit in between the C-Class and E-Class with Mercedes claiming it’ll blend the best qualities of the two models. In terms of size it’s actually longer than the outgoing E-Class Coupe but is the same width and sits a little lower to give it a sleeker profile.
The front-end of the CLE is more akin to that of the C-Class than the new EQE-inspired E-Class. There are isolated LED headlights with a take on Mercedes’ Panamerica grille and more prominent bonnet bulges. To the side we see a simple design with clean surfacing and at the back a similar rear light design to the one on the new GLC Coupe. There are also fake twin exhaust tips, a diffuser and rear air vents to provide a sportier look.
Interior and technology
Inside the CLE you’ll immediately notice plenty of design details and technology lifted from the C-Class and GLC. A 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 11.9-inch driver’s display feature with the latest MBUX infotainment system, which adds Mercedes’ new routines function. It essentially learns the habits of the driver and will automatically turn on the climate control, change the ambient lighting and even set reminders such as birthdays or telephone calls based on previous interactions.
Mercedes has also developed a new voice recognition system, first seen on the E-Class, where you no longer need to say ‘Hey Mercedes’ to alert it. Instead, if the driver is alone in the car they can operate the voice control when a red microphone symbol appears on the driver’s display cluster.
Over-the-air updates will be made available to CLE owners throughout its lifespan and in some markets the car will be able to offer 5G internet connectivity. The central screen also features new apps like TikTok, the Vivaldi web browser and even the Angry Birds game.
Mercedes has also equipped a slew of safety features as standard, including attention assist, active brake assist, lane keeping, speed limit warning and a reversing camera. An ‘Advanced Plus’ package adds blind spot assist and traffic sign recognition.
Given the wheelbase is 8mm shorter than the E-Class Coupe’s, the CLE’s interior is slightly smaller. There’s less legroom and headroom in the rear and the 420-litre boot is 5 litres down on the two-door E-Class – but also 60 litres up on the old C-Class Coupe.
Engines and performance
The CLE sits on the MRA2 platform, which also underpins the C-Class, E-Class, S-Class and GLC. From launch the CLE will be offered with one diesel and four petrol engines – all of which are 2.0-litre units with mild-hybrid power that are mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. A plug-in hybrid variant will join the range later on.
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The entry-level CLE 220 d comes with 197bhp and 440Nm of torque for a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds. The integrated starter generator is unchanged between each model and allows for coasting, small amounts of boost and recuperation. This being the second generation ISG system, power stands at 23bhp with boost torque of 200Nm.
Petrol power kicks off with the CLE 200. There’s 204bhp and 320Nm of torque, knocking 0.1 seconds off the diesel’s 0-62mph time. Mercedes claims an mpg figure of 44.1 for the 200 against 60.1mpg for the 220 d. The 200 is also available with Mercedes 4MATIC four-wheel drive system, which adds 0.1 seconds to the 0-62mph time and worsens fuel economy to 42.1mpg.
Moving up to the CLE 300 4MATIC and there’s 258bhp and 400Nm of torque here. That means acceleration drops to 6.2 seconds to 62mph and an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. The CLE 450 is even quicker thanks to 381bhp and 500Nm of torque helped by the revised twin-scroll turbocharger set up. It’s the quickest to 62mph – at 4.4 seconds – until the Mercedes-AMG variants arrive.
Rear-axle steering is offered as part of the ‘Dynamic Body Control’ package. This enables the CLE’s rear wheels to steer by up to 2.5 degrees. The package also adds continuous adjustable damping. As standard, the CLE is lowered by 15mm compared to the E-Class.
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